What the job costs in Cowes
Diagnostic visit
Roof and inside inspected, cause found, written repair price
Reseal and re-flash
Failed sealant and flashing taken out, joints cleaned, resealed and taped
Upstand or membrane repair
Rotten kerb section or roof membrane at the upstand repaired
Guide ranges. The first visit is charged and priced before booking; any repair is priced in writing before work starts. Scaffold, access towers or a crane are priced separately if the job needs them, and building control fees, where a job needs them, are shown as their own line.
Areas around Cowes we cover
Fitters travel to the job, so the address is what counts. In Cowes that means postcode districts PO31, PO32 and PO30, and the same teams can just as easily take on work in Newport, about 4 miles away, or Ryde at roughly 6 miles. Survey and fitting dates are offered according to fitter availability, and travel is built into the quote rather than added later.
Included in the work
- Failed sealant cut out, joints cleaned, dried and resealed
- Rotten kerb sections replaced where the timber has gone soft
- Lifted flashing or tape removed and renewed
- Water lying against the kerb — We check whether rainwater sits against the upstand after it stops raining.
- Upstand height and condition — We measure the kerb and probe the timber for softness.
How a repair visit goes
On arrival we agree access and protect the floor. Then a methodical check: glass for misting or cracks, seals for gaps, the frame for movement, the upstand and roof covering for splits or water lying against the kerb. If the cause is obvious and minor, it can usually be sorted as part of the visit. If not, you have the evidence and a priced repair plan, and the choice is yours.
Planning and building rules in England
In England, a new rooflight opening generally needs building regulations approval because the roof structure is altered and the glazing must meet energy rules: 2.2 W/m²K for a rooflight in an existing home, or 1.4 W/m²K (or WER Band B) for a roof window. Planning is often not needed on a house: permitted development covers rooflights that stand no more than 0.15 m proud of the roof slope and sit below the highest part of the roof. Flats, listed buildings and areas with an Article 4 direction are different, so we check your address first.
What to send us
Tell us where the water appears, how long it has been happening and what the weather was doing when it started. A couple of photos from inside and outside, plus the postcode, let us price the visit before you book and plan what the fitter brings.
Common questions in Cowes
Should I repair or replace my old leaking rooflight?
It depends on the age and condition of the unit and what has failed. A single perished seal or a blocked channel is worth repairing. A brittle, discoloured dome, a rotten kerb, or several faults at once usually make replacement the better value. After the diagnostic visit we set out both options with prices, so you can decide with the full picture in front of you.
Why is my rooflight leaking?
The usual causes are sealant that has cracked or pulled away, flashing or membrane that has perished at the edges, condensation channels blocked with dirt, water ponding against the kerb, or a seal failing on the glass unit. Sometimes the water is coming in elsewhere and running along to the rooflight. A diagnostic visit finds the real source before anyone starts applying sealant.
Is it condensation or a leak?
Condensation tends to appear on cold mornings, on the inner face of the glass, and runs down the frame. A leak usually follows rain or wind from a particular direction and often stains the ceiling around the opening. Blocked condensation channels can make the two look alike. Photos and a note of when it happens help us narrow it down before the visit.
Send photos of the problem in Cowes and we will price the visit before you book it.
